Cooler and carbonator



June 24 1952 J. L. BARR 2,601,493

COOLER AND cARBoNAToR Filed Aug." 28, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l IIII! 'mnhmllms!!Hmlmu IIHIII .lHnlillHili'flH IN V EN TOR.

JUH/V L. BARR Arron/vn June 24, 1952 J. l.. BARR COOLER AND CARBONATOR 4 Sheets--Sheei'l 5 Filed Aug. 28, 1948 JNVENTOR. .JOHN L. BA RF? 5y AT ORA/EY June 24, 1952 J. L.. BARR COOLER AND cARBoNA 4 Sheets-Smale?l 4 Filed Aug. 28, 1948 n mim: JOHN L. BARR.

Patented June 2.4, 1952 UNI-TED STATES NPm'izivr OFFICE John L. Barr, Baltimore, Md.

Application August 28, 1948,` Serial No. 46,572

3Claims. 1.

This inventionrelatesto the treatment of liquids to be cooled.and/orcarbonated, and particularly to `coolers andcarbonating .processes and equipment. It has among its objects. to provide a new and improved cooler and carbonator assembly-that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitationsof the prior art.

Another object of lthis invention is to provide a new and improved coolerand carbonator that will be eiective, eicient, 'compact and l economical in construction.

A further objectof the invention is to provide a new and improved cooler `and 4carbonator that may be readily inspected, :thoroughly cleaned and easilyassembled, whenever'it is desirable to do so.

Another object of the lpresent `invention `is to provide a liquid cooler with .fdiiusers and bailies for directing the flow of liquid in aesemi-thin and irregular stream for fast cooling and directing the liquid to a spiral `chute lfor conveying the liquid downwardly ina Athin stream and charging it with carbon dioxide.

A furtherobject `of the present invention is to provide a liquid coolerhaving a center evaporator surrounded in spaced relationby a Icoiled suction line, with a diffuser positionedon and cooled by the evaporator anda baiileplate contacting the inner Wall :ofethe4 coolerand cooled by suction coils `so the cold `.may `be `imparted to the liquid as it `passes between the `diffuser and baille plate.

A further object of the present invention `is to provide a cooler having a double walled Aevaporator centrally positioned in `a ispaced double walled container, with said .spacesfilled with oil to act as a conductor ofrcold to thealiquid passing through the cooler and :to act as .afbuier.a-rainst fast temperature droppage `Whenithe "lowof the cooling medium has abeen stopped.

A further object of y.thepresent invention is to provide a combined `cooler tand carbonatorhaving a center evaporator and surrounding suction coils for cooling aspiral conveyor and the `liquid which passes ina thin streamalongand through it from an inlet and during its passage subjecting the liquid to carbon dioxidegas to carbonate the liquid and passing it lfrom the `cooler and carbonator.

Other objects will beeomefapparent as the invention is more fully setforth To make this invention"cleanreference is made to the appended drawings, inwhicha particular form of the invention `is indicated.V `These draw- 2. ings together With the `following description outline the particular'form by way of example, illustrate its `principles and portray its objects. At the same time, the claims emphasize the scope of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure lisa sectional view in plan of a cooler used 'in this "embodimentof the invention, looking along line l-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a `partial sectional view taken along the line 2 -.2 in a longitudinal direction, of Figurel;

Figure 3 is .an underneath view looking upwards of a carbonator used in this invention and indicated iniFigure 4;'

Figure 4'is Aa .longitudinalsection through a carbonatorused in this embodiment with piping connections coupled thereto;

Figure 5 .is a sectional `view in a plan along line` 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure l6 is a sectional view in plan along line .6 6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a vdiagrammatic view of the cooler andcarbonator assembly coupled together;

Figure 8`is a `perspective view of a sinuous diffuser used in the cooler and mounted on its central or evaporator shell;

Figure 9 is a `perspective view of abaille plate used in the cooler in conjunction with `the diffuser.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout .the drawings.

Inthe structure shown in Figs. l and 2, a cooler consists Vof acylindrical casing lll,` which has a removable `bell-shaped cover ll slipped within its fupperedge portion l2.` The cover has insulation i3 imbedded yin it vandwheldin zplace by an under plate i4; The-plate 4I4 islsecurely fastened l to g the l cover l wallv `2.I by welding, riveting or otherzconventional Vmethodl and leaves a space `I5 lunder but lvvithinxthecover,` as indicated. The edge of the cover wall 2| `rests'on a top disc-like plate I6 thathas a dome Il formed at its central area leavingra peripheral .iat ring area about it on which the wall 2l rests at its periphery. A ringiplate I8 rests on :the upper edgeof the casing and is-held^thereon`ebythe plate vlli and `closes in an annular fperiphera'lzzportionthereof. This portion includes `a `compartment i9 twith insula tion VI3 'therein-and ani annular oil chamber 2E) next toit. `The insulationfforms a lining about the wallh24 forming part `of oil chamber 2t on one side andthe outside lwall 22 lof the casing I0 on'the other.` The insulationis preferablyof substantially -rigid material 4and insulates the oil chamber '20. The oil 23 is prevented from overflowing out of the chamber 20 by the plate i8, which closes it. The chamber 20 leads to the bottom portion of the casing into a shallow cylindrical chamber 25, which covers the entire transverse area within the casing at the bottom, except aslimited by the insulation I3 intervening between the bottom 26 of the chamber 25 and the bottom wall 21 of the casing. This chamber 25 has another oil chamber 23 extending vertically up from it at the middle of the cooler. This chamber 26 surrounds refrigerant shell 28 which takes up an axial position in the cooler, and also contains the oil 23. The outer portion of the chamber 26 is formed by an inverted cylinder 29 having walls 31. The oil 23 is of a heat conducting nature, and low specic gravity.

A *band 30 of metal or other suitable material is welded or fastened on the exterior surface 22 of the casing I at its upper portion 12 so as to form a socket for the cover to insert and fit into. The oil chamber 20 is of circular or cylindrical form and contains a tubular coil 3| of a suitable number of turns, extending for the greater part of its length. A screw-threaded boss 32 is formed at each end of the coil for the insertion and threading of nipples 33 and 12 therein, and serving as inlet and outlet for the circulation of the refrigerant medium 35 therethrough and not interfering with the removal of the coil. The interior of the shell 28 is fed with the same medium 35 through the primary inlet and outlet piping, 33 and 34 respectively. The refrigerant 35 escaping from the inlet pipe 33 into the evaporator shell 28 serves to cool through its walls the column of oil 23 surrounding it, thence through the walls 31 of the cylinder 29 where the coldness is transferred through the diffuser to the liquid beverage 36. The beverage 36 is fed into the chamber 38 through the inlet piping 39 which is provided with perforations 48 to spread the beverages 36 throughout the chamber 38 so it will be cooled quicker by the cooled walls of the diffuser 42 which are cooled by the walls 31 of the cylinder 29 which are cooled by the oil 23 from the walls of the shell 2B, and the bailies 43 which receive their lowered temperature from the inside shell 44. The shell 44 separates the beverage 36 from the cooled oil 23 and is provided with a bottom plate 45 which is usually welded to the walls 31 of the cylinder 29. The bottom plate 45 is provided with feet 46 to rest against the bottom 26 connected to the wall 24 and maintain the cylindrical chamber 25 so the oil can flow through and be drained through the nipple 41 and valve 4| when necessary. The cooler is supported by legs 54. A spacer ring 55 surrounds the inlet piping where it enters the casing and prevents it from coming into contact with the low temperature oil 23 in the cylindrical chamber 25 and become frozen at that point, the atmospheric air insuresa certain amount of insulation at that point. The refrigerant 35 is fed from a line 56 to a float valve 51 mounted on a bracket 64. The float valve 51 maintains a flooded liquid level at all times. After leaving the float valve the refrigerant passes through a line 58 to a manually operated valve 59 to a T 66 having a refrigerant charging connection 6| at one side and a nipple 62 connected to a magnetic Valve 53 at the other, then passing along a pipe 65 to a T 66 which is connected at one side by a nipple 61 to an L 68 through a nipple 69 to a manually operated valve which controls the passage of the refrigerant through inlet 33 thence into the evaporator shell 2S where it rises and is drawn down through a refrigerant suction or outlet pipe 34, thence through an L 89, nipple into one end of a T 13 a nipple 12 screwed into one end of the T 13 attaches it to the lower boss 32 of the spiral suction coils 3|, which carry the refrigerant suction through the coils 3| which are immersed in the oil 23 and helps to cool the baflies 42 and impart some of its low temperature to the liquid passing through the beverage chamber 38. The refrigerant passes up through the coil boss 32 and nipple 14 and passes through a back pressure valve 15 and line 16 to the heat exchanger to the compressor. The bottom of the T 13 is equipped with a nipple 11 which allows a booster charge of refrigerant to be fed directly into the suction coils 3| after it passes through T 66, nipple 18, magnetic valve 63, nipple 19, manually operated valve 80, nipple 8|, pipe union 82, nipple 83, TY 84, nipple 85, L 85, nipple 81, manually operated valve 80 to the nipple 11 as described above.

The diffuser element 42 is of hollow star like contour cross-sectionally, and made of fiat metal with its longitudinal edge portions 48 aligned with one another without being fastened. VThis allows for a certain amount of resiliency when the element is slid down over the peripheral wall of the shell 28 and makes sufficient contact therewith to act as conducting vanes thereon. The element extends its star legs 49 outwardly from the center and serves as a partial barrier in the chamber 38. The baffle member 43 is formed in reverse to the element 42 with its inwardly appexed formations 50 extended into the valleys 5| between the legs 49 sufficiently to provide a sinuous path for beverage 36 to circulate in. The baffle member 43 is inserted in the chamber 38 and expanded to resiliently engage against the peripheral shell 44 of the chamber 38. It is made of flat metal preferably with its edge portions 52 aligned and bent into cup form to over lap the edge portions 48 of the diffuser element 42, as illustrated in Figure 1. The outlet pipe 53 is placed on the other side of the baille formed by the edge portions 48 and 52. This produces a flow in the beverage through the sinuous path provided by the baie member 43 and the diffuser element 42. The service connections and piping to and from the cooler are also provided and their arrangement is described in a later portion of the specifications.

In Figure 4 and its cooperating figures, the construction of a carbonator |21 is shown. lIts structure is very similar to that of the cooler, having a casing 9|, a cover 92, with insulation |3 in the compartment 93 surrounding the annular oil chamber 94. This chamber 94 connects at the bottom of the casing through a shallow cylindrical chamber 95 to the central refrigerant chamber 96 around the evaporator shell 91. Between the oil and refrigerant chambers 94 and 96 and encompassed by same is the beverage chamber 98 annularly positioned therein. This chamber has its top wall 99 perforated by perforations |00 and opening in a space |0| above that is enclosed over by a dome plate |02 similar to that dome |1 in the cooler casing |0. The chamber 98 is fed with the beverage 36 from the cooler through the inlet pipe |03 and covers the top wall 99 until it reaches the perforations in the latter and drops throughout into the beverage chamber 98. The drops of beverage fall on the tilted surface of a helical plate |04 and is provided with holes |45 and mounted on the inverted sleeve |05 which' forms the outer portion `,carbcpnated mixture is then drawn oif through the outlet pipe Hi8, The chamber 94 has a heli- Ical tubular coil |09 immersed in the oil 2K3 and served by the inlet and outlet piping I |f and respectively. The `refrigerant passes through the float valve l and other piping and valves already described for the cooler and passes through the inlet 33 into the evaporator shell 91 which is similar to the evaporator shell 28 described. If ammonia is used as the refrigerant it is drawn through the outlet 34 as already described. If Freon is used as the refrigerant a bleeder pipe I l2 with a hole ||3 in it is used. The hole is used for drainage. The tube ||2 is connected to the inlet H0, fittings ||4, valve ||5 and fittings IIB, and IIB.

The coil |09 is supported in the casing in a suitable manner, and may be removed bodily whenever necessary or desirable to do so. Similarly with the helical plate |04.

The operation of the assembly is provided for as follows. The coolant from a conventional refrigerant system ||9 is passed through piping 56 to the float valves, coils and shells of both the cooler and carbonator. The coils cool the oil 23 in the chambers which in turn cools the walls of the beverage chambers and does the Work in a very steady and effective manner. The beverage 36 is then sent from an extraneous source through the piping 39 to the cooler casing IU where it is cooled in the chamber 38 by the action of the coolant circulating in the coil and evaporation in the shell. Then after a suitable period, required for the beverage to circulate in the chamber 38 and against the diffuser plate 42 and baffle member 43, the beverage is passed through the piping 53 to the carbonator. The beverage iiows through the inlet piping |03 and enters into the beverage chamber 98 through the perforations |00 in its head and passes in a curtain over the helical plate ||i4 mixing with the carbondioxide gas entering through the inlet piping |01 connected to a suitable carbonio gas cylinder |23. For cooling and carbonating, an electric water level probe operates a liquid inlet control valve for maintaining a liquid level in the bottom of the cooler. From the carbonator casing the mixed beverage is piped through the piping |2| to a suitable dispensing machine. The iioat valve units are set to work at suitable levels of the beverage in the cooler and carbonator respectively. The magnetic valves close off the iiow of liquid refrigerant when the refrigerating mechanism automatically shuts down.

The conventional control of the piping serves to provide any particular or desirable method of controlling the mediums used in the assembly, and do not need any particular extension of the description in their regard.

There are a number of distinct features of the assembly. The arrangement of the covers permits ready access to the interior of the casing. The coils may be removed, and the baille member diffuser elements and helical tray disconnected, for cleaning or other reasons. The purpose of the oil in the assembly is to provide for a better heat exchange, to provide for a pressure reinforcement to the wall of the beverage chamber and lessen their possiblity of bursting under beverage pressure,and` to surround the coils and refrigerant chambers with a liquid tending to keep the walls clean and free from erosion. The oil can be of the light mineral type; a Prestone and water solution or special chemical liquids that will meet any general or special conditions of heat transfer. The cover is insulated. The beverage is cooled from areas inside and voutside its retaining walls.

While one form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form, as it is appreciated that other forms could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for beverages comprising an outer casing, insulating means within said casing, a cylinder within said casing having a central perforation in its bottom plate and an upper open end, a coiled pipe within said cylinder adapted to receive a cooling medium, a shell within said cylinder spaced inwardly of said pipe, a second shell spaced from said first mentioned shell, a series of perforated baffles between said shells, means for supplying a carbonating gas at the bottom of said baffles, an inner cylinder within said casing extending within said aforementioned central perforation, and means for supplying a beverage to said inner cylinder and to the space between said shells and for withdrawing it therefrom.

2. A heat exchanger for beverages comprising an outer casing, a cylinder within said casing and spaced therefrom, insulating means between said cylinder and casing. a centrally perforated bottom plate for said casing, said casing having an open upper end, a shell within said cylinder and spaced therefrom, a coiled pipe in the space between the cylinder and shell for receiving a cooling medium. a second shell in said casing inwardly spaced from the rst shell, said second shell being of general star shape and the walls of said first shell having convolutions following and spaced from the star shaped walls of the second shell, an inner cylinder in the casing spaced inwardly of the second mentioned shell and extending within the perforation in the aforesaid bottom plate, means for supplying a cooling medium to the coiled pipe and inner cylinder and for withdrawing it therefrom, and means for supplying a beverage to the space between the shells and for withdrawing it therefrom.

3. A heat exchanger for beverages comprising an outer casing, a cylinder within said casing and spaced therefrom, insulating means between said cylinder and casing, a centrally perforated bottom plate for said casing, said casing having an open upper end, a shell with-- in said cylinder and spaced therefrom, a coiled pipe in the space between the cylinder and shell for receiving a cooling medium, a second shell in said casing inwardly spaced from the first shell, bame means between said shells, an inner cylinder in the casing spaced inwardly of the second mentioned shell and extending within the perforation in the aforesaid bottom plate, means for supplying a cooling medium to the coiled pipe and inner cylinder and for withdrawing it therefrom, and means for supplying a beverage Number Name Date to the space between the shells and for with- 1,980,424 Morgan Y Nov. 13, 1934 drawing it therefrom. 1,990,056 Van Daam Feb. 5, 1935 JOHN L. BARR. 2,058,098 ONel et al Oct. 20, 1936 5 2,326,243 Meyer Aug. 10, 1943 REFERENCES CITED 2,339,229 Wyllie Jan. 11, 1944 The following references are `of record in the 213811013 Tanner Aug- 7 1945 le of this patent: 1Iown'xm Dec. l,

, PeIO June1,1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,435,774 Di Pietro Feb. 10, 194s Number Name Date 2,446,054 McCullough July 27, 1948 1,543,449 Rust June 23, 1925 Y 

